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Six players leave team during off-season

Heather VanHoegarden | Thursday, August 18, 2005

Two weeks away from the Sept. 3 opener at Pittsburgh, the Irish have lost six players who have transferred or are not coming back next season. Another, senior Travis Leitko, told the South Bend Tribune for an Aug. 17 article that he expects to be back at Notre Dame in the summer of 2006 due to “academic reasons.”Offensive lineman John Kadous announced in June that he plans to transfer to the University of Arizona. Kadous, who hails from Tuscon, Ariz., did not see any playing time last season as a freshman.Wide receiver Chris Vaughn transferred to Louisville after being suspended for the fall semester at Notre Dame. Vaughn, who played on special teams last season as a true freshman, will have three seasons of eligibility left after he sits out the 2005 season due to NCAA transfer rules.Sophomore offensive lineman Chauncey Incarnato left the team earlier this month, leaving the Irish with a thin depth chart at offensive line. Incarnato did not see action last season as a true freshman.Also leaving earlier this month was junior defensive back Freddie Parish, who told the South Bend Tribune he was looking to transfer to a Division I-AA school so he wouldn’t have to sit out one season.Most recently, sophomore defensive lineman Brandon Nicolas left the team Thursday morning, Weis announced through a press release. Last spring, Weis announced that sophomore cornerback Tregg Duerson was no longer with the team for “personal reasons.” Duerson, who did not see action last season, is not back with the Irish this fall.

“Goog” openedThe Gugliemino Family Athletics Center, which houses new football offices, locker rooms and a weight room opened earlier this month.”It’s a big plus for the whole athletic department,” Weis said at the Aug. 8 media day. “I think it will be a big plus for the school. I think going from facilities that I believe were antiquated to now right at the top with everybody with the way Notre Dame should be and what they stand for, I think our players are very, very happy.”

Cutcliffe resigns over the summerIrish quarterbacks and assistant head coach for offense David Cutcliffe resigned June 1, citing health reasons. Cutcliffe, who had bypass surgery in March said he wanted to take some time off to get his health back in shape.”Poor health initiated a series of events that culminated in this decision,” he said in a press conference June 1. “Through it all, no one could have asked for more support than Charlie and the people at Notre Dame gave me and my family.”Two days later, Peter Vaas, a Notre Dame assistant coach from 1990-91, was hired to replace Cutcliffe. Vaas came to the Irish from NFL Europe, where he was a head coach for six years.